Polls open for the 2018 Primary Runoff Elections at 7 a.m. Tuesday, June 26, 2018. Mississippians can cast a ballot in the following races:
- U.S. Senate/Democratic Primary, which is a statewide race; and
- 3rd Congressional District/Republican Primary, which is confined to the 3rd Congressional District in Mississippi.
Polls close at 7 p.m. Any voter in line at 7 p.m. is entitled to cast a ballot.
“On Primary Election Day, we only had 13 percent of Mississippians turn out to cast a ballot. Simultaneously, we had more than 3,000 Mississippi National Guardsmen and women deploying to the Middle East to fight for our freedoms,” Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said. “We should honor these soldiers on Tuesday with a better showing at the polls.”
Senate and Congressional Primary Runoff Elections are conducted by political parties in Mississippi. The Secretary of State’s Office will have observers in precincts across the State. Problems at the polls observed by State observers or otherwise reported to the Elections Division will be referred to the authorities, including the Attorney General’s Office or appropriate District Attorney’s Office. The Secretary of State’s Office has no enforcement authority to resolve problems.
Other important information for Election Day includes:
- Voters who voted in the primary election of one party cannot cross over and vote in the primary runoff election of the other party. Voters who did not cast a ballot in the primary, however, may vote in either primary runoff race provided they live in the district.
- Absentee Voting Deadline: The in-person absentee voting deadline is Saturday, June 23, 2018. Circuit Clerk’s Offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The deadline to vote by mail is Monday, June 25, 2018, and Circuit Clerk’s Offices must be in actual receipt of the absentee ballot by 5 p.m. UOCAVA voters, including servicemembers deployed outside their county of residence, must submit their absentee ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, June 26, 2018.
- Polling Place Location: A polling place locator is available on the Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.ms.gov/PollingPlace/Pages/default.aspx. A sample ballot specific to the voter’s polling place is located on the Polling Place Locator website.
- Voter Photo ID: Voters are required to show photo identification at the polls. A voter without an acceptable form of photo identification is entitled to cast an affidavit ballot. An affidavit ballot may be counted if the voter provides an acceptable form of photo identification to the Circuit Clerk’s Office within five business days after the election. For more information, visit www.msvoterID.ms.gov.
- Campaigning: It is unlawful to campaign for any candidate within 150 feet of any entrance to a polling place, unless on private property.
- Loitering: The polling places should be clear for 30 feet from every entrance of all people except elections officials, voters waiting to vote, or authorized poll watchers.
- Cameras/Phones: Voters are prohibited from taking pictures of their marked ballot.
For more information about State election laws or Election Day information, visit Y’all Vote, www.yallvote.sos.ms.gov, or call the Elections Division Hotline at (601) 576-2550 or 1-800-829-6786.
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann
6/21/2018
Sarah Ulmer
